Between Us
by Tacti
Summary: Sequel to Without You & Return to Me. Damon Yuy is the bad-boy player of his school. But when Damon gets into serious trouble, Heero & Relena decide to send him to boarding school. Not every relationship is all sunshine and rainbows.
1. Useful Information

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Barton, Tivona-16 years old. Long strawberry blonde hair, hazel eyes. High school student

Barton, Tim-21 years old. Brown hair, purple eyes. Businessman.

Hopkins, Red-33 years old. Red hair, blue-green eyes. Chauffeur.

Hopkins, Sakura-23 years old. Long black hair, blue eyes. Artist/New Wife!!

Maxwell, Fey-21 years old. Waist-length brown hair, blue-gray eyes. College student.

Peacecraft, Liam-25 years old. Purple hair, sapphire blue eyes. Ambassador.

Winner, Xanto-21 years old. Light brown hair with blonde highlights. Heir to the Winner family.

Winner, Sahara-21 years old. Sandy blonde hair that ends mid-back, dark green eyes. College student.

Yuy, Naeva-22 years old. Chin-length Black hair with electric blue stripes on either side of her face, ice blue eyes. Agent of the CIA.

Yuy, Damon-16 years old. Unruly chocolate brown hair. Prussian blue eyes. High school student.

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Prerequisite: Must have read **_Without You_** & **_Return to Me_** to understand. If you have not done so, I encourage you to do so now ^_^

Warnings: Adult language and situations. 

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	2. Boarding School

Between Us

Sequel to _Return to Me_

**Chapter One: Boarding School******

A loud knock sounded at Damon Yuy's door. 

"Damon, wake up!" A cheerful voice said. 

"Five more minutes, Mom!" He groaned, sinking deeper into the warmth of his sheets and blankets. Relena opened the door and flung the blankets away from his body, making him shiver. "Alright, already. I'm up." He said. 

When he went downstairs, he was met with the sight of his dad, sipping coffee. 

"See ya." He called as he walked out the door. As he walked through the door to his classroom, all heads turned. He was dressed in a white shirt that was unbuttoned to the third or fourth button down, and black pants. 

"Good morning, Damon!" A chorus of girls called. 

"Hello ladies. Hey, I'm having a bit of back pain today. Would one of you mind carrying my books?" He asked. They all jumped up and down waving their hands.

"Hmm… I think I'll pick… you!" And he pointed to a girl in a red shirt. 

"Yes! I get to carry around Damon's books!" The girl cried joyfully. 

"Well, I gotta get to class. I have Civics next." The girl handed him his book, and he winked at her. 

"Stupid girls. They obey my every command." Damon said, smirking. He walked off to class five minutes after the bell.

"Why are you late?" His Civics teacher asked her eyes cold. I wonder if I could fake something… He wondered. He took her hand.

"Please, forgive me. I wanted to see your lovely face so badly, but I had forgotten my pencil in my locker, and it wouldn't open. Can you ever forgive me?" He asked melodramatically. His eyes were innocent and puppy dog-like.

The teacher began to blush. Some guys began to crack up. 

"P-please take your seat, Mr. Yuy. I will let you off this o-once." She stammered. 

"Oh, you are far too kind." He said, kissing her hand, causing her to blush further. He did so, and sat down in his seat. 

Such was the life of Damon Yuy. Girls fell at his feet, and he was very popular, but quite the troublemaker. He was far more audacious than the others. He was quick to anger, and did many dangerous things. He was the manipulator, never the manipulated. He bent people to his will.

"Yuy, Damon!" It was 8th period science, and Damon was just about to fall asleep.

"Here!" He replied automatically before putting his head down. A couple of times, he was asked what the answer to the question was, and would answer it correctly every time before returning to his nap. Damon wasn't stupid; his grades were only lousy because he didn't try. 

On his way home, he bumped into some of his older friends. 

"Hey, Damon!" One of them called out. He crossed the road to them. One of them offered him a cigarette, and he lit it, inhaling the smoke. 

"We're gonna go and spray paint the school-and TP it, too. Wanna come? Some of the other guys are coming too." Another said. 

"Yeah, sure!" And he dropped his cigarette butt on the ground, crunching it with his heel. 

"I'm home!" He called out, stepping into his house. Relena came down the stairs and sniffed the air.

"Is that cigarette smoke I smell?"

"So I took a drag, so what?" Damon asked, shrugging off his coat.

"**DAMON MARCUS YUY**!" She used my whole name… Damon thought. "How many times have I told you not to do that? You'll kill yourself!" Relena cried. 

"I just want a little excitement."

"And inhaling poisonous fumes is exciting? Explain this to me." Heero's voice came as Damon's father came into the room.

"We've told you several times not to hang out with those guys, and we mean it. No more TV." Heero said. 

"Dad!" But he was silenced with a glare. 

"If you keep this up, you won't eat dinner either. Either you find a way to quit, or I help you find a way." Damon knew that when Heero used that tone of voice that he meant every word. "Am I making myself clear?" Heero asked. 

"Crystal." Damon said, faking a smile, and then retreating up to his room. It was a Friday night and Damon wanted to get out the house. Relena and Heero just didn't know what went wrong in his upbringing. He was a sweet little boy, but grew up to be rebellious. However, Heero was very strict and firm with him, and usually got Damon to obey. 

He was the only child in the house. Naeva was in Italy, spying. She wasn't supposed be back until sometime in the summer, and it was still March. His sister did her job well. She worked incognito in Italy, under the name Gratia Lucia. She called almost every other day, but she could never tell him where she was, or what she did that day. 

The screen of his comphone flicked on, and one of his friends appeared.

"Damon, are you coming?" Damon nodded wordlessly, and hit the 'off' button. Quietly, he opened his window, and jumped gracefully to the ground. He looked around cautiously and then sprinted away. 

"Relena, he's gone." Heero said, while sipping his coffee. He had heard his son land and then run. 

"Damon!" she called, but there was no answer from upstairs. Sighing, she sat back down next to Heero on the couch. "He's going to kill himself one day, I just know it. I don't know what to do with him anymore." 

"Don't worry, I'll deal with him. Besides, if something serious happens, we could always fall back to plan B." Heero said, taking her face into his hands and kissing her forehead. Relena relaxed against his chest. 

"I don't want him to get killed. He's bound to get into some sort of trouble."

**Meanwhile….**

"Hey Damon, catch," a boy said, throwing him a bottle of red spray paint and a roll of toilet paper. They sprayed the walls of the school with vulgar messages and threw toilet paper all over. 

"Hey guys, check this out!" another said. He took a rock and threw it in a window. There was a mini explosion as chemicals were knocked over and mixed with each other. Thankfully, the explosion was not big enough to start a fire. 

"That was the chemistry room!" Damon cried. Soon, the sounds of sirens reached their ears.

"Damn! Come on guys, let's go!" And they ran. One of them grinned wickedly, and punched Damon in the eye, causing him to fall back. "Rat on us and you die," he threatened before disappearing. By the time the police were on the scene, only Damon remained. 

"Damn it, they left me! Oh shit…"

"Are you responsible for this?" one of the officers asked, pointing to where a mini fire had appeared in the window.  

"Yeah. I was just doing some remodeling," Damon said coolly.

"What's your name, boy?" The man asked, glaring. Sighing, Damon gave them is his name, his address, and where his parents thought he was. 

"Get in the car, son." The officer said. Reluctantly, the chocolate haired boy obeyed. They brought him back home, where he was met with a very displeased Relena and an even more displeased Heero. 

"No officer, it won't happen again. Thank you," Relena said. Damon was led to the living room where he was reprimanded for his actions. 

"Damon, I don't understand! Why would you do something like this?" Relena asked. 

"Those bastards left me to deal by myself," Damon said, rubbing the purple spot around his eye. 

"It's your fault for going in the first place," Heero said. "Empty your pockets, Damon." Damon reluctantly handed him a pack of cigarettes, a lighter, and a switchblade. "I'm going to search your room for anything else." Heero said, glaring at Damon.

"Damon, this is the last straw. You touched a female student inappropriately; you set a fire in the chemistry class, talk back to your teachers, and now this!" Heero came back down the stairs with two more packs of cigarettes, CDs and several cans of spray paint. He burned everything except for the cigarettes, which he disintegrated with a swift press of a button.

"Your mother and I have been planning what to do if something like this happened," Heero said, looking at the flames in the fireplace. 

"I'm sorry, but you leave us no other choice. We're sending you to boarding school." 

"With uniforms?" he asked. Relena nodded.

"Yes."  

"Don't I at least get to call my friends?" 

"No," Heero said.

"When will I be going?" Damon asked, sighing. It wasn't fair! His parents were booting him off to boarding school where he'd have to wear a uniform, and they wouldn't even let him call his friends!

"Your first day will be on Tuesday. I've already called your school and informed them that you will not be attending the school. Maybe, if your attitude improves, we'll change." Relena added. Tuesday… he had only two more days of freedom. And, to make matters worse, he couldn't even tell his friends. He would tell them, if not for Heero's special ability to "find" things out.

"Do I at least get to know what school I'm going to?" Damon asked, sighing.

"St. Gabriel," Heero and Relena said simultaneously. 


	3. Fire Starter

Chapter Two: Fire-starter

Kathryn: Hello everyone! I will be introducing you to today's chapter! I didn't play any April Fools tricks on you like most of my friends did. *Sighs* I must be either really slow or really nice. I vote for the former. This chapter is fairly important, so. I apologize for the delay. I was sick Thursday and I've been busy lately. I PROMISE to get the next chapter out ASAP! 

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Fey yawned. It was Saturday, and she was waiting at the airport for Liam. He had been in space on business, and she had been waiting for three hours. Her long brown hair was braided, and she could have been mistaken for her father in a blue flowered skirt. Finally, she heard the announcement.

"Plane D-3 has arrived. Plane D-3 has arrived. Passengers will be unloading in the D area." 

Fey didn't have to go anywhere; she was already in the D area. 

Streams of people came through the door, and Fey stood on her tiptoes to see if she could find Liam. When he finally emerged, he looked tired and yet, handsome in his suit and tie. 

"Liam!" Fey cried, waving. He looked up, and a smile broke across his face upon seeing her. Fey instantly ran to him. He picked her up and swung her in the air. She giggled when he set her back down. 

"It's been a long time since I've seen you." he whispered, leaning down to brush his lips against hers. 

"Liam, people are watching us!" Fey whispered.

"In that case… let them watch." Liam said, his sapphire blue eyes twinkling. He wrapped his arms tightly around Fey, and their lips locked in a passionate kiss. Most people who saw them just smiled to themselves. A couple of girls giggled. 

"Excuse me, but what are you two standing around here for? Go get your luggage!" A familiar voice said cheerfully. 

"Xanto! What are you doing here?" Fey asked. Xanto smiled. 

"What do _you_ think? I'm waiting for my girl," he said winking. 

"Naeva's scheduled to come home? I had no idea!" Liam said. 

"She's been calling me as often as possible. She's not allowed to tell me where she is, or what she does, so she calls me from a different phone every day. I figured that she was coming home because all she said-all she was permitted to say-was that I was to go immediately to the airport. So, here I am!" Xanto said, a large sweatdrop on the side of his face. 

"Hey. Don't talk about me like I'm not here." A monotone voice with a hint of playfulness in it said. 

"Naeva!" Xanto cried, instantly running to her. He quickly enveloped her in a hug, and captured her lips with his. Stunned, Naeva could only stare at him for a while. A faint blush crept upon her face. 

"Naeva! It's been like, forever!" Fey cried, launching herself at her old friend. Naeva was taller than her by a couple of inches, and awkwardly put her arms around Fey. 

"It's good to see you again, Naeva." Liam said smiling. 

Then, Naeva revealed to them a secret that only Xanto had seen: the smile that she had hidden for so long. 

"We need to go." she said, her sentences as short as usual. Behind her monotone was a hint of happiness. They all went their separate ways, and Naeva was left alone with Xanto. "It's been a long time." She said without any emotion.

"Far too long. In your absence you have become an angel of ice. Perhaps I can melt some of the ice I see reflected in your eyes." Xanto said, caressing her face with a hand. Naeva leaned into it.

"Xanto, spare me the poetry. I-" She was cut off by his lips on hers. 

"I missed you so much." he sighed against her lips. 

"Xanto…" Naeva began again, but his lips again covered hers. His hands began to wander down her arms. "Xanto, now is not the time." Naeva said, lightly pushing him away. "I want to spend time with my family first, and I have some business to attend to tomorrow." All was silent until the limo reached the Yuy residence. 

"I understand." Xanto bowed, and kissed her on the cheek before making his departure.

__

I can't hide it from him forever, Naeva thought to herself, slowly walking back into her house. 

Naeva sighed, and walked into her house. She was met with her parents wearied faces and her younger brother's scowling face. 

"It's like a funeral in here," she said, sitting down. 

"Mom and Dad are sending me to a damn boarding school!" Damon burst out. Relena glared.

"Language, Damon. He and some seniors went to TP their school and Damon was caught. We thought that it would be best to send Damon to a school where things are stricter. Your father and I decided on St. Gabriel." 

"I see. Damon, I heard you've been getting into trouble in my absence. I don't like troublemakers." Naeva said, glaring down at her little brother. "And is that cigarette smoke I smell on your jacket? You have three days to quit. I haven't used my knives in a while. They're longing for some practice."

"Yes ma'am." he said, scurrying away. 

Relena sighed.

"I've been through a war, and now I've been through raising children."

"I'm afraid I have some bad news. I wish to discuss it with you later. Right now, I have to go sharpen my knives. I wouldn't want them to look like they're out of practice." Naeva said, and disappeared. Heero smiled.

"She hasn't changed a bit. As long as he doesn't push his luck, Damon should be fine. Try being aggressive with Damon. Threats dealing with sharp things usually work for Naeva. However, being his mother, you have a certain authority." There was a playful look hidden underneath the soldier façade that Relena had grown so accustomed to.

"Oh? And what sort of 'authority' do I get?" She asked. 

"You get the authority to take away the things he likes. He's on his computer until four A.M." Heero informed his wife. "What would you like for dinner?" Relena smiled to herself. Her Perfect Soldier was also the Perfect Parent. Who would have known? 

"How about beef stew?" She asked, latching onto Heero's arm. 

"Sounds good to me." And they went into the kitchen to prepare their meal.

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"I know that I just got back, but I won't be here tomorrow morning. I have a meeting." Naeva said, calmly stabbing the contents of her bowl with a spoon. The Yuy family was all gathered around the table, eating a rare meal together. 

"A meeting? With who?" Relena asked. 

"The Vice Foreign Minister and some other officials." Naeva answered.

Relena fell silent. She had known for a while that she had been replaced by a young man. Naeva worked closely with him, and they got along quite well. Neither one of them thought of anything but work. They both stayed up late working. Naeva hadn't told Relena much about him, so she didn't even know his name.

"We know you're busy. It was nice of you to drop by to visit us though." Relena said. 

The next morning, Naeva was up early. By eight A.M., she was already at the office of the Vice Foreign Minister. 

"I'm here to see Mr. Rettecar. My name is Naeva Yuy." she told the secretary. 

"Go on in. You are expected, Ms. Yuy." she said. Nodding, Naeva stepped into the office of the new Vice Foreign Minister.

Behind a desk sat a young man who was in his late twenties. His brown locks covered his face as bent over his work. There was a large pile of papers on his desk. 

"Working still, Aren?" Naeva asked, leaning against the door. 

"Why don't you try looking over all of these papers for me, Naeva?" He asked, looking up at her with a frown. His green eyes (AN: Not a word Sarah) had a smile hidden in their depths. Aren Rettecar had met on one of Naeva's travels. His family was much like Relena's. He was surrounded by politics most of his life; he grew up to be quite the leader.

Though many people still thought Relena was better fitted for the job, they couldn't overlook Aren Rettecar's own talent for the job. 

"Well, what have you discovered?" Aren asked, staring expectantly at Naeva. Her face was grim.

"Italy and a few other countries are working on a secret project. I have very little information on it as of now, but that will change. Here is the information I gathered." Naeva handed him a disk. Aren inserted it in his computer, and had it play on a screen on the wall. 

The current leader of Italy, Adolfo Feleti, was discussing some matters with the leaders of two other countries.

"The countries of the other two are still unknown, but I am doing background information on them." Naeva told Aren. "You can get a translator if you don't believe me, but Italy is planning to start another war."


	4. St Gabriels

Chapter Three: St. Gabriel

Aren's face was grim. 

"You're certain? What proof do you have?" he asked. Naeva produced a second disk. 

"On this disk is proof that Italy's secret project is building newer, better models of the original gundams." she said. Aren took the disk, and watched the footage.

"I trust you, but I have to get a translator. If I don't Naeva, that makes me look bad. It's my job to be suspicious."

"I understand." Naeva said. He watched the footage. There was some rapid Italian in the background; his green eyes were focused on the image. Several mechanics worked on something hidden by a huge wall. The wall opened only once-for the face of the gundam-and Aren saw that Naeva was right. 

"What do you want me to do?" Naeva asked. 

"Wait. You just got back. I'll send someone to Italy to speak with their officials in the meantime. How long do you think it will take to make mobile suits that will suit their needs?" he asked.

"They've been working on the project since I was little. My parents were a part of it. I'd say that they only need another year." she replied. 

"Then I'll send you back in six months."

"Yes sir," she replied.

"By the way, are you free this afternoon?" he asked. Naeva glared.

"No. I have more important people to see."

"Like who?"

"Like my **FAMILY** and my boyfriend," Naeva answered. "I'm sure that your fiancée wants you home as well."

"Oh Laura knows I get home late. Besides, I'm bored. You're the only one around my age who works here. They're all old geezers." Aren said. 

"Oh, stop whining. How do you think I feel, working with you?" she teased.

"Hey! I take offense to that!" 

"You're a man, Aren! Act like one!" For a moment, all was silent. Then, Aren began to laugh. Naeva also let a small laugh slip. 

"Well, I won't be the one to keep you from your family. You can leave." Aren said. Naeva left the office without a word. When she got home, she was surprised to find Xanto waiting there.

"Hey there, beautiful! Got any plans for the rest of the day?" he asked, cheerfully kissing her on the cheek.

"No, why?" she asked, raising her left eyebrow slightly. 

"Oh, no reason. I just thought that we'd go out tonight. It's a surprise though," he said, winking. Naeva smiled sadly to herself. Xanto looked so happy; her family did too. What would they do if they knew that another war could be brewing?

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Finally, it was time for Damon's first day at his new school. It was six in the morning, and it seemed that he had found his uniform. He frowned as he stared at it. 

"No way. I'm _not_ wearing that," he said firmly. The anger and disgust in his voice was apparent.

"If you don't wear it, you'll find that your computer missing _very_ soon," Relena said with equal firmness. Grumbling, Damon shut his door.

He emerged from his room with a blue vest, a red tie, and blue slacks with shiny black shoes. Underneath his vest, he wore a white dress shirt. His dark brown hair was slicked back, and his Prussian blue eyes had fire in them.

"Je tu détestè (I hate you)." he said, glaring at his parents once he had come downstairs. 

"You speak French! Bon (good)! I'll sign you up for it right away!" Relena said happily. 

"Go," Heero said.

"No. I won't go," Damon said defiantly. 

"You will go and you will **LIKE** it." Heero replied in a dangerous tone. After much silence:

"It's raining outside. Drive me," Damon demanded. Heero flashed his wife a secret smile and grabbed his keys. The trip was a silent one. Soon, Damon found himself in the office to pick up his schedule. 

"Welcome to St. Gabriel Academy. You are Damon Yuy I presume?" A petite woman with brown hair and hazel eyes asked. 

"Yup," Damon answered in a very blasé manner. 

"Your mother's last name, maiden name and first name, please?" The woman asked.

"Right. Her last name is Yuy, obviously. Her maiden name is Darlian. Relena Darlian. Or Peacecraft: whichever you prefer," he said. The woman stared at him for a couple of seconds. "Are you gonna give me my schedule or what?" Damon demanded. 

"Right, sorry." she said shaking her head. She hit a couple of keys on the computer, and printed out his schedule. 

"Here you are, Mr. Yuy. Your first class is in the West Wing. If you need help, just ask the students," she said. Damon nodded and grabbed the piece of paper. He found himself lost in the West Wing.

"Where the hell is room D-600? Hey you two, do you know where the History room is?" he questioned two random girls. They had been whispering about him and giggled when he asked them.

"Nope, but you can come to our class with us," One of them said. 

"No thanks. I really should get to class. That is, if I ever find it." Damon said, sighing to himself.

"I know where it is," a girl said quietly. Damon turned to find a girl of medium height and hazel eyes. Her wavy strawberry blonde hair was arranged in a perfect French braid, and fell well past her shoulders. 

"Thank you," Damon said. He was about to ask the girl what her name was, when he realized that she was already gone. The rest of the day was one of the most interesting ones Damon had ever had in his entire life. Simply finding his classes was an adventure in itself. 

Finally, it was time for lunch, and Damon sat with the two friends he had made already: Serge DeVay and Mark Melone. Damon had been going around asking people if they knew who the girl who helped him was, but nobody could seem to understand his unclear descriptions. Finally, he decided to give up.

"Hey, you still trying to chase down that girl?" Mark asked. "Give it up, this school is really big. You'll never find her."

"I want to," Damon began, but his sentence was cut short. "Wait, there she is!" The girl from before was sitting in the far corner surrounded by other girls who giggling and whispering to her. She seemed to ignore it, and just smiled and nodded to them. 

"Why don't you wait until she's alone to thank her? You don't want to be rude," Serge suggested. Damon nodded. 

"And don't forget to ask her out!" Mark whispered to him.

Finally, Damon's chance came. The girl rose to discard the remnants of her lunch, and he met her about halfway back to her table.

"Hey, remember me? I'm the guy that you gave directions to. I just wanted to thank you again," he said. 

"Your welcome. This school is very big, and easy to get lost in. What's your name?"  
"Damon Yuy. What's yours?" He was a bit surprised when she cordially extended her hand. After a couple of moments, he took her hand and shook it.

"Pleased to meet you Damon. My name is Tivona. Tivona Barton."


	5. Childhood Memories

Chapter Three: Childhood Memories

**Comments**:

**New! – Chapter has been updated!**

**Cautions: Language. **

**-Begin Chapter-**

Damon blinked. "Is something wrong, Damon?" The girl questioned. 

"Nothing. Just get the hell away from me," Damon said, walking away.

"I'm s-sorry. Good day," she said, quickly bowing and departing.

"Did she say yes?" Mark asked.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Damon asked, shoving his hands in his pocket as he sat down.

"You _did_ ask her out, didn't you?" When Damon shook his head, Mark rolled his eyes. "C'mon, do you honestly think that she'll still be single by the end of the year? Guys like shy girls like her."

"You raised your voice. What happened?" Serge questioned.

"It's none of your damn business!" Damon yelled, banging his fist on the table.  

"I'm sorry D-Damon…" he stuttered.  

"Come on, let's get to class," Mark said, breaking the moment of tension. Damon crumpled up his plate and tossed it in the garbage and walked away.

**Meanwhile…**

"Sakura! Long time no see!" Fey cried into the comphone. The black haired girl smiled back at her friend.

"Yes, it has been a while," she said with a wink.

"So tell me: what's it like now that you're a married woman?" Fey asked excitedly. 

"It's great! I get to devote my whole time to my paintings. Of course, it won't be that way once we have children," she laughed, a sweatdrop appearing on the side of her head.

"You sound like you're planning to," a familiar monotone said. 

"I was wondering where the other member of the Trio was!" Sakura said, grinning as Naeva's face popped up behind Fey's.

"So, are you?" Naeva pressed. A blush slowly crept across her face. 

"W-well y-yes," she stammered. 

"Sakura, it's been a while. How have you been?" Xanto asked, suddenly appearing next to Naeva.

Sakura gave Naeva an inquisitive look.

"We were going to go out, but Fey told us that she'd be talking to you," she said flatly. Sakura smiled to herself. _So… they had plans. I wonder which one of the 'Trio' is going to get married first: Fey or Naeva? _Sakura thought to herself. 

"Who are ya talking to?" a cheery voice asked loudly. Sakura squealed when Red's arms wrapped around her neck.

"Careful, you have an audience!" Fey teased. Red grinned.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't the other girls of the 'Trio' and look! One of them brought her boyfriend with her!" he said, waving at Xanto.

"Man, I miss y'all!" Red said.

"We miss you too! Hey! I have an idea," Fey said, smiling broadly.

"Don't keep us in the dark; TELL US!" Sakura squealed. 

"Uh-oh. Looks like girl-talk to me," Red said, shaking his head. Xanto grinned.

"I'm sure that it's an idea that we can all hear, right Fey?" 

"Right. You know how our parents get together just to see how everyone else is doing? We should do that! Our parents are famous. I've heard several of their friends refer to us as the "Gundam Kids" although most of us aren't really kids anymore. We should have a reunion sometime. And whenever something major happens, we ALL have to know about it."

There was silence for a while as everyone took in what Fey said. 

"That's not a bad idea. Who'll pass it on to the others? Ah, what am I saying? Fey the Gossip Queen of course!" Red teased. 

"Then it's settled! I'll call everyone else! By the way, where's Sahara?" She asked Xanto.

"She's spending the weekend with Tim. They're at a ski lodge somewhere in Switzerland," Xanto explained. 

"Yikes! It's 8 o'clock already! Liam's picking me up in a couple of minutes! See ya!" Sakura watched the comphone screen go black. She smiled to herself. It had been a long time since she had talked with her old friends.

"What's wrong?" Red asked, wrapping his arms around Sakura's waist. The black haired young woman leaned into his chest. 

"It's weird. I'm married, and they're not. I feel… I feel like there's a wall between us," she admitted. Red kissed her neck. 

"There isn't any wall. Your social life and your love life are separate, but they're still your best friends. And they'll always be there for you. Just like I'll always love you, they'll always be your friends," he whispered in her ear. He spun her around so that she could see that he was being serious.

"There isn't a girl in the world that could compare to you. You're the only one for me," he said, planting a kiss on her lips. Instinctively her hands clasped behind his neck, and they both surrendered to the passion.

**-Damon-**

For the rest of the day, Damon tried to memorize who was in his classes. He found that Tivona was only in two: English and Science. In both classes, she ignored him. 

"How was your first day at school?" Relena asked as Damon came through the door. He waved to Serge and Mark and then turned to his mother.

"It was fine," he said, retreating to his room. Heero came up beside his wife.

"What was 'fine'?" he questioned.

"His day. I'm worried about him, Heero. He looked distant. Like something bad happened," Relena said worriedly. 

"Don't worry. He's probably just struggling to adjust to his new environment," Heero said, kissing Relena on the forehead. She sighed.

"I hope you're right," she said, leaning against Heero. 

**In Damon's room…**

_It's her. Damn it all. It's her_, he thought.__

**Flashback**

"Ti-chan! Where are you going?" ten year-old Damon asked. 

"Daddy says we're moving. We won't be going to the same school anymore," she answered softly. "Promise you won't forget me? You said you'd marry me when we grew up. Promise that you'll look for me, okay?" Tivona asked, holding out her pinkie finger.

"I promise," Damon said, linking his pinkie with hers. "Here. It's something to remember me by." He handed her a bracelet with a half-heart charm. 

"But it's broken," Tivona said, confused.

"No it isn't. See? I have the other half. So we can always be together, no matter what!" Damon said, holding up his bracelet.

"Tivona! It's time to go!" Hilde called.

"Bye Da-chan," Tivona said, hugging her friend. Tears filled her eyes. Damon quietly followed her to her car, and she looked out the back window as he yelled,

"I won't forget Ti-chan! I'll find you!" Damon could only watch helplessly as Tivona's tear-stained face disappeared from view. 

**End Flashback**

Damon held up the bracelet. It sparkled in the dimming sunlight. Damon snorted. _She used to be my friend, eh? That was a long time ago. I don't care anymore. _

-**End**-

**Infinity's comments**: Lovely ray of sunshine isn't he? He had a lot of anger in him already, and he doesn't seem to like Ti-chan very much, does he? *Shoves a package of soap down Damon's throat* Watch your language!!


	6. Author's Note

Dear Readers,  
  
I'm sorry for making you wait so long for me to update. And yes, I am alive *waves*. I'll explain my situation, if you don't mind. For a while, my Internet was dead. Then, due to the fact that my computer is unbelievably slow, I decided to full restore it, and, because I had never done this before, ended up deleting everything. When I got my Internet back, it was only AOL.  
  
After several empty threats to Bill Gates and much yelling, I decided to shut up, and be grateful I actually had Internet. I right for doing so. Recently, I lost my Internet again. I can still log onto AOL, however, it refuses to load any pages. And as an added bonus, the CD on which I kept all of my important files (i.e. my stories, pictures, etc.) got stuck in my older brother's CD drive.  
  
And the computer refuses to give it back. *Approaches it with a knife* you're my friend, Mr. Computer. *pauses to think* Oh Mr. Gaaaaaaaaaaaates! I'd like to have a "word" with you! Heh heh.  
  
Love and much Final Fantasy 9,  
  
Lady Infinity 


	7. Forgotten

**Chapter Five: Forgotten**

Warnings: **Language.**

Maeve: Yo, Maeve here. I get to do the commentary today! In this chapter, we finally get to see what Tim and Sahara are up to. I'm just going to ignore the thoughts that some of you are probably thinking. I think that my favorite part in this is when Naeva gets an unexpected secret admirer! Oh by the way, it doesn't say it, but 

Lol! Right, anyway… **ON TO THE CHAPTER!**

**Note: The song Damon sings is _I'll Kill You_ by X Japan**

**-Begin Chapter-**

It was now the end of Damon's first month at St. Gabriel Academy. He was a living nightmare for all of his teachers, and they all punished him daily. However, nothing seemed to be helping his attitude problem, and he didn't seem to care about school at all. 

Today was no different. He arrived in tight black leather pants, an unbuttoned black shirt, along with a black spiked dog collar around his neck, and a black trench coat to top it all off. Several girls nearly fainted at the sight of him. 

            "Mr. Yuy, I'm afraid that your ensemble violates the dress code. You are to wear nothing but your uniform," his homeroom teacher informed him. 

__

_"_**OH GO TO THE GRAVE TOGETHER!***" Damon shouted along, playing a little air guitar.  His music was on so loud, he hadn't even heard his teacher.

"**MR. YUY!**" The teacher slammed his fist on the desk. Damon looked up, taking his headphones off of his head.

            "Your ensemble is inappropriate," he repeated. 

            "And what if I said I didn't care?"

            "We'd file it as insubordination and call your parents," he said, watching as Damon lit a cigarette. "No smoking in the-" he began. Damon glared at him. 

            "I am tired of hearing your voice." He gathered his things and began to walk out the door. "I'm gonna leave. Later," he said, waving over his shoulder. He bumped into Tivona on his way out. 

            "I'm s-sorry," she stammered. 

            "Move out of my way, bitch." Tivona jumped a little at his profanity and nodded, moving to the side. She watched as he walked away, tossing the butt of his cigarette to the floor and putting it out with his heel. Then, he disappeared out the door. 

            "Did you see Damon?" Mark demanded, shaking Tivona. She pointed to the door. 

            "He went outside," she said softly. Serge gave her a gentle smile. 

            "Damon has a good heart somewhere, you just have to look. I'm sorry if he scared you. Please don't hate him," he said. Tivona nodded, and watched as they walked out the door in search of the dark haired young man. Tears began to stream down Tivona's face. _His eyes were full of hatred… his gaze made my blood run cold. It was so cold… _she thought. The strawberry blond brought her hands up to her arms as she shivered. 

_I wish that I could promise you that, Serge._

-*-

            "Tim, look out!" Sahara yelled, but it was too late. The Barton boy flipped in mid-air, landing face-first into the cold snow. Instantly, Sahara was at his side.  

"Are you okay? You don't look hurt," she said.

            "Tell that to my head. It feels like an elephant ran over it," Tim said after spitting snow out of his mouth. 

            "Let's go inside for some hot cocoa to warm you up," she suggested. "You can lean on me if you need to." Tim did just that. His head was making his vision unclear, and he had a bit of trouble standing on his own. After stopping by their separate cabins to pick up dry clothes, the couple bought hot chocolate and picked a cozy table in the corner of the warm lodge; it was between the fireplace and a window. 

            "I wonder what the others are doing right now?" Sahara wondered as she absently stared at the mound of whipped cream in her mug. The scent of the hot cocoa came up to caress Tim's bruised nose.  

            "I'm sure that they're fine," Tim said, smiling. He took off his gloves and put his naked hands around the warm mug. Lost in thought, the young man shoved a hand into his pocket to speed up the process of warming his hands. He began to fiddle with the coins, keys, and tissues he had in his pocket.

_Here goes nothing…_ he thought to himself. He reached into his bag of warm, dry clothes and pulled a velvet rose. 

            "I bought a little something before we left," he said, handing her the flower. Sahara blushed. 

            "I don't even remember you stopping to buy something!" Sahara said, laughing. She noticed that the rose had a hinge in the back. Carefully, she lifted the top of it off. She gasped. Inside, there was a beautiful diamond ring sparkling back at her. Tim took the rose from her hands and knelt before her.

            "I know that this is totally random, but… Sahara Winner, will you marry me?" Tim asked. She blinked in surprise. Onlookers began to cease their chatter to watch the couple, waiting for the girl's answer. 

            "My heart has always been yours, and it always shall. I would be honored to be your wife," she said. Tim, trying his best to contain his joy, slipped the ring on her finger. The happy couple shared a kiss as everyone else applauded. 

            "Ah, but I am not done showering you with gifts," Tim said. A few girls giggled as he pulled out a pair of sparkling new ice skates. He took off Sahara's shoes, and slipped them on, tying them as tightly as he could. 

            "Oh Tim, they're beautiful!" she breathed. Before she could understand what was happening, she was swept off her feet. 

            "Put our bags into lockers please!" Tim called as he and his new fiancée departed. Everyone went down to the frozen pond to watch them skate. 

            "Brings back pleasant memories, doesn't it?" he whispered in her ear. She blushed, remembering. Though it felt like forever, it was only five minutes later that the couple stepped off the glassy pond. Other couples were beginning to skate, each one congratulating the bride and groom-to-be. Tim walked Sahara up to her cabin.

            "When I look at you and see that ring on your finger, I feel like the luckiest man alive," Tim whispered, putting his forehead against hers. A tear of joy ran down her face. 

            "I should go to bed now. Good night." She turned to go, but Tim gently spun her around and captured her lips with his. 

"Good night, Sahara," he said. He turned away, leaving shallow footprints in the sparkling snow. Smiling, she went back inside her cabin. After debating about whether or not she should call her family and friends, Sahara finally decided that she wanted to surprise them. Slowly, sweet sleep cradled the bride-to-be in its arms. 

-*-

_Damn school and its damn rules. _Damon thought, inhaling the poisonous fumes of his cigarette. A hand gently took the cigarette out of his mouth and dug their heel into it.

            "You'll kill yourself if you continue doing that," Serge said softly. 

            "What the hell did you do that for?" Damon demanded.

            "Hmm, let's see… for your HEALTH, maybe? Anyway, get back to class," Mark said. He stared with a disgusted expression at the remains of the cigarette.

            "You should have seen the expression on Tivona's face. Damon, you scared her to death!" Serge scolded.

            "The bitch was in my way," Damon said, shrugging. Serge sighed.

            "Please don't about people like that, Damon! Will you at least come back for this period? Your father will not be pleased if he discovers that you are skipping."

            "Yeah, I think your dad would be _really_ pissed off at you," Mark added. A chill ran down Damon's spine. Heero was not the person you wanted to be around when he was angry; it was even worse if his anger was geared towards you.

            "Fine, fine. I'm going," Damon grumbled under his breath. Serge let out a sigh of relief as his friend turned to go inside. 

            "You just _had_ to defend her, didn't you?" Mark muttered to Serge as they followed Damon inside. 

            "What was I supposed to do? Let him call her those horrible names?" Serge demanded. Mark chuckled to himself.

            "I'd watch myself if I were you, Serge." Later on, Serge apologized to Damon's teacher, and he decided to let it go, as long as he didn't do it again. Soon, lunchtime came. 

            "Hey Mark. What's up with Serge?" Damon asked. Serge was poking at his food, staring past the plate. It seemed as if he were lost in thought. 

            "Yo, Serge!" Mark snapped. The DeVay boy instantly came back to reality. 

            "Sorry. I was just thinking. Damon…?" his voice shook as if he were afraid of what Damon's reaction would be.

            "What?"

            "I think that Tivona deserves an apology." Damon glared at Serge.

            "What for? _She_ was the one who was in my way. I don't apologize to people," he scoffed. 

            "She was so traumatized by what you called her that she had to leave school!" Serge cried. 

            "Why the hell should I care?" 

            "Because if you don't apologize, I'll hurt you," a new voice came. It was low, and in monotone. Damon turned around to see his older sister. She was dressed in a black sweater and loose black pants.

            "What the hell are you doing here?" Damon demanded.

            "I decided to check up on what my little brother was doing," Naeva said. "And I don't like what I'm hearing. It's not nice to make people cry, Damon. By the way, what's Tivona's last name?"

            "Barton," Serge offered. _So she's a Gundam kid. This should be interesting…_ Naeva thought. 

            "I see. So, if you value your

            "Do you want to die prematurely or would you rather apologize to the poor girl?" Damon muttered a few choice words under his breath. The disgusted look on his face was mixed with barely noticeable fear. Naeva was so serious it was hard to tell when she was serious and when she was teasing. 

            "Fine," he said at last. 

            "Good. See you boys," she said, giving each a curt nod. And with that, she departed. 

            "Bitch," Damon muttered as she walked away. Serge gulped.

            "Th-that was your sister? Is she always that scary?" Serge asked, fear apparent in his voice. Damon shook his head.

            "Today was a _good_ day. She's usually ten times as scary," he replied. "Yo Mark, you gonna be okay? You look freaked out." Mark was staring at the place that Naeva had been standing a few moments ago. 

            "Wow! She looked so cool! And she was beautiful…" Mark gushed. Damon banged his head against the table.

            "One of my best friends likes my creepy older sister. Great…" As soon as he got home, Damon found his sister lounging in a chair, sharpening and polishing one of her daggers and eating a sandwich. While she ran the cloth over the blade, it split in half and cut her finger. She smiled up at Damon as she took a band-aid from her pocket to wrap around the wound. 

            "Perfect. Now let's see how well it cuts." She threw half of her sandwich in the air at the same time as her dagger. It made a clean cut through the bread and landed point-first into the carpet. 

            "I get it. I'm calling her," Damon informed his sister.  He went to the comphone and dialed her number. 

            "Hello?" Tivona's soft voice came. She stared at the screen when she saw who it was. "How may I help you?"

            "I'm sorry. Serge told me about how you left," Damon said. He scowled. What was the point of apologizing when he meant what he had said?

            "Oh. Thank you. I have homework. If you'll excuse me." There was a blink and her face disappeared. 

            "Are you happy? I did exactly what you wanted me to do." Naeva's lips curled up slightly. 

            "Mom and Dad will be back at six thirty. Dad said that if you didn't have your homework by the time he got home, I get to practice my "skills." Hence why I was sharpening my dagger," Naeva said randomly. Damon glared at her, but did not protest. He went to his room and sat down at his desk, taking out the papers that were due the next day. _Math, Science… English! I'll do that first, since it's so easy_, he thought. He was about to do the assignment when he noticed a permanent marker stain. _I didn't write on my copy_… he thought, flipping the page over. To his surprise, it was a poem. 

_"Forgotten"_

_It hurts so much to be ignored_

_But being forgotten all together is even worse._

_When your heart can no longer_

_keep your cold façade on, it will fall._

_Who will be there when it does?_

_You pretend to have no emotions,_

_But I can see the loneliness._

_It's all right to cry when no one's looking._

_Tears do not mean that you are weak._

_If it hurts so much to be forgotten, then_

_Why have you forgotten me?_

_By: Tivona Barton_

For a moment, Damon stared at the paper. Childhood memories began flashing through his mind. A small smile crept across his face. 

            "Old memories die hard," he mused to himself. He began to look under his desk and his dresser. When his hand closed around a silver bracelet, he nodded in satisfaction and clasped it around his wrist. __

-**End Chapter-**


	8. I Will Remember You

**Chapter Six: _I Will Remember You_**

**Warnings: Language. **

Sahara: Well, Kathryn _did_ have the F-word starred, but how are we going to be good writers if we simply star the bad words? Gomen ne to those that are offended by the word; we are too. Seriously, I don't want to type it. But Damon will be Damon, so. (^_^;) 

Forgive us, Kami-sama… Oh, and by the way… because St. Gabriel is a private school for only the wealthiest students, I decided to exaggerate how lavishly decorated the school really is. (^_^;)

**_-*-_**** means that the scene is switching to a new couple/character**

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Naeva, for the first time in… who _knows_ how long, was enjoying some well-deserved time alone with Xanto. She had forgotten what it was like to be held in his arms as if there was nothing wrong with the world at all. That was what he thought, anyway. Naeva frowned. If he knew what she did, if he felt the ominous cloud threatening to overcome the peace…

"Naeva?" Xanto questioned. Instantly, she snapped out of her thoughts.

"What?" He reached a hesitant hand towards her face. He brushed the inside of his finger down her cheek gently.

"I miss times like these. You're always so busy, and when you're not, I am. I don't get as many opportunities as I used to," he said. 

"Opportunities to what?" 

"To tell you how much I love you." Cupping her face gently, he leaned in for a sweet kiss. How much he had missed her scent and the taste of her lips! Naeva's conscience was telling her that now was the time. He needed to know. 

"Xanto, there's something-" Naeva began.

"**I'M HOME!**" a cheery voice called out. Xanto, who was sitting on the couch in his mansion, nearly fell over at the sudden loud noise. 

"Sahara! How was your trip?" he asked sweat dropping. She was bundled up in what looked to be more than three layers of winter clothes and held two suitcases. She wore the silliest grin Xanto had ever seen on her face.

"It was wonderful!"

"What happened up there?" Xanto demanded. Sahara's grin only widened as she held up her left hand.

"This happened," she said, winking. Naeva came up behind Xanto.

"So he finally popped the question." Sahara nodded. Her face was slightly flushed and her eyes sparkled. 

"What was it you wanted to say, Naeva?" Xanto asked. 

"Nothing," she replied. They had the right to be happy. They didn't need to know yet. Italy's illegal manufacturing of new gundams had been kept a secret. Even the citizens didn't know about it. It was only a matter of time before word spread. All Naeva could do was wait until Aren sent her back. She was totally useless. And she hated it. 

-*-

Black pants, black shirt, chains galore, and… angry. This was Damon in English.

"What?" he asked. 

"I would like you to switch places with Yuki and sit next to Tivona so that I can keep an eye on you," his teacher repeated. Grumbling, Damon got and switched. Of all the people, he just _had_ to sit next to her. She sat in her chair with perfect posture. Her things were organized perfectly, and her hair was in two perfect braids on top of a perfect unwrinkled white perfectly buttoned blouse and a perfectly pleated knee-length black skirt. Damon was perfectly pissed off at her. She managed to smile at him.

"I suppose that we will be homework buddies for the next semester." 

"Yeah, whatever," Damon responded. It seemed that everything that day had been against him. First, he had gotten _another_ detention, and then his CD player had been taken away. And now, he had to sit next to _her. _

"What is it, Damon? You look as if something terrible happened today," Serge commented. As usual there was a huge contrast between the two. Serge wore a white sweater and khaki cargo pants and white shoes. It was almost amusing watching them converse. At least, Mark thought so. 

"My damn English teacher moved me next to that bitch," he said. Serge sighed. 

"Honestly, I don't see why you hate her so much. She's a very kind girl," he told his friend. Damon rolled his eyes.

"I'm sure. Every time she's fucking near me, I get pissed off. Damn it, that bitch just makes me want to swear even more!"

"Well, you got through _most_ of them," Mark snickered. Serge sighed. _How on earth did I end up with friends like these? _He thought to himself. 

"By the way, are you going to be staying after?" Serge questioned. Damon nodded.

"Yep. I got another detention." 

"I wonder if they give out awards for most detentions of the year…" Mark wondered aloud. "It seems as if you get one _every day_. 

"Yep. And for almost all of my classes, too! Who can beat _that_?" 

"Don't even joke about that, guys. We should get back to class now." The day passed by fairly quickly, and all too soon, Damon found himself in detention. He settled himself in his favorite chair in the back corner, and finished the rest of his homework. For the rest of it, he just slept. There wasn't much to do anyway. 

"Damon, wake up," a familiar voice said softly. Damon opened an eye. 

"What the hell are _you_ doing here?" he asked, glaring up at Tivona. 

"I had a club. Um, you forgot this on your desk," she said, handing him a piece of paper. "It's our project. I thought you might want it back…" She didn't stay. Tivona knew better than to expect a word of thanks from someone like him. It just wasn't worth waiting for something that would never happen. Damon decided that he didn't like it when she got so friendly with him. It wasn't as if they were going to spend the rest of their lives together. She didn't need to be so… _perky_. Every time he saw her she wore this soft smile on her face. She was polite 24-7. And it pissed Damon off. 

Later that day, Tivona came home and discovered quite a peculiar sight. Her older brother was lounging on the couch wearing the most ridiculous expression she had ever seen on a person. 

"Are you all right?" was the comment that issued forth from her lips. Not exactly what she wanted to say, but it had the same idea attached to it. He just gave her an even sillier grin.

"What? Can't I guy be happy around here?" he defended. Her polite smile never left her face.

"How was your trip?" she asked instead. The rate at which his smile was widening was beginning to disturb her. 

"It was great!" Tivona listened as her brother rambled on about the things that he and Sahara did, skipping the reason he was smiling so broadly entirely. Tivona had learned the skill to detect a lie a long time ago. But for some reason, she felt as if Tim was telling her the truth. _So then he must have left something out_, she concluded. _It is not my business if he did not tell me. If it is, he will tell me when he is ready_, she thought to herself. 

"It's good to have you home. I missed you," she said, hugging him. He was much taller than she was. She felt like a flower being embraced by a giant oak. She barely got to see him, much less talk to him like this. It was almost a foreign experience. And her parents were always busy with _something_. As Preventers, there was always something to look into. The screen on her watch blinked with cute pink hearts and repeated the words, "Practice time!" over and over. With a simple touch of a button, it stopped. She carefully freed her harp of its encasement and began to delicately pluck the strings. As she did so, she could not resist the temptation of singing. Her sweet voice rose and fell with the notes. 

_Sand of Time,_

_Winds of Change,_

_What have you done_

_with__ my love?_

_He's different now…_

_He's different somehow…_

_Have you erased_

_The promises we made?_

_Does he still _

_Even remember me?_

_Why has he_

_Become so cold_

_To me?_

She sighed to herself after finishing. _I didn't even mean to sing that. The words just came to me. _A sad smile came to her lips as she reached for the charm on her necklace. Having long ago grown too big to wear it as a bracelet, she had transformed it into a necklace. The broken heart pendant hung from a silver chain. She sighed as she looked at it. _This chain means nothing to anyone but me. He doesn't remember, _she thought. A faint smile came to her face. _I can tell he doesn't remember. He's so much colder than he was back then. He must think I'm so annoying. I mean, I get good grades, know most of the answers, and am always smiling. He must think I'm so weird_. _I will not lie to myself; I still love him… _

-*-

"Sir, the preparations have been completed. Suggested test areas would be remote regions where the climate is extreme," an Italian man said. Adolfo Feleti, current leader of Italy, nodded. 

"Excellent. I want you to sent soldiers here, here, and here to test the new mobile suits," he said, pointing to random, uninhabited areas on a map. The man saluted. 

"Yes sir! By the way, there are some people who wish to see you, sir. A woman who goes by the name of Avika Netir and a man named Toro Delkare," the man reported. Adolfo nodded. 

"They are guests of mine. Send them in," he ordered. The man saluted and a few moments later, the aforementioned duo appeared. 

"My, my… it seems as if somebody said something to make the EEA nervous," a tall, dark-skinned woman commented with a smirk. Adolfo frowned.

"The EEA sent officials from the Sanc Republic to speak with me. They are gone for now, but I am sure that they will send people to further investigate. We need something to distract them." Toro, standing silently in the shadows, stepped forward to speak. His skin was tanned and his eyes were dark. His dark brown hair was streaked with grey and cropped short. He looked to be in his mid-forties or so. 

"I have trained several of my men to be expert secret agents," Toro said. "They might be of use to you." 

"What can they do?" Adolfo questioned. Toro smirked.

"They are professional thieves, hackers, and kidnappers. They are perfect at disguising themselves. They will play whatever part is given to them." The leader of Italy paused for a moment. 

"My best accompanied me to this meeting," Toro replied. He whistled and they filed into the dimly lit room. He introduced each by their code name. 

"I suggest that you send Beta-Chabes," Toro advised. Adolfo looked the young man over. He looked to be in his early twenties. His shoulder length mud-colored hair was in a tight ponytail.

"What is so special about him?" Adolfo questioned, circling the young man.

"He is the best of the best."

"And how do I know that you're telling the truth?" Adolfo asked. Toro smirked.

"I have been training him since he was a child. He is a perfect soldier." Adolfo nodded. 

"Very well, I will hire him. Beta-Chabes, you have will go to the capital of EEA and report to me from there. Avika, I want you and your soldiers to test the mobile suit." 

"Yes sir!" They all saluted as he passed the to exit the room, leaving only the soldier with the codename Beta-Chabes and Toro. 

"Do you think you can handle this job?" Toro questioned.

"I know I can. I will accept the consequences if I should fail," the younger man answered. 

-*-

_My pain is taken away by the darkness_

_Because I can't return…_

_I embrace the torn rose to my chest_

_And fall into the crimson sea_

_I continue dancing upon_

_The piled bodies until I die._

_Like struggling, suffering prey_

_My consciousness is taken from me_

_I drown and disappear in pleasure_

_Cold, inside of these arms._

For the entire song, Damon followed with his own electric guitar. He had heard it so many times before that his fingers seemed to move with a life of their own. However, his fingers faltered as a new song played on the T.V. 

  
  
_Remember the good times that we had?  
I let them slip away from us when things got bad  
How clearly I first saw you smilin' in the sun  
Wanna feel your warmth upon me, I wanna be the one  
  
I will remember you  
Will you remember me?  
Don't let your life pass you by  
Weep not for the memories  
  
_

The T.V. began to display images from Damon's past in softened colors. She had been wearing a light blue dress the day she left. Slowly, his fingers came to a stop. Her smile from back then… it had changed somehow. Damon shook his head. She was a stranger to him now. If he wanted to become friends with her, he'd have to get to know her all over again. 

-*-

"You're **WHAT**?!" Catherine cried. Sahara just sat there and calmly repeated herself. 

"I'm engaged. Tim asked me to marry him." Catherine gave her husband a helpless look. He put a gentle hand on her shoulder in a gesture of comfort. 

"When do you plan to hold your wedding?" Quatre asked calmly. 

"Well, Tim wanted it in the spring; March maybe," Sahara chirped. 

"You can't possibly be serious! Sweetheart, it's only January now!" Cathy cried. Sahara sighed. 

"Mom…" she began.

"We'll discuss this with his parents first, all right? Now go to bed dear," Quatre said, placing a gentle kiss on his daughter's forehead. 

"Yes Daddy..." she sighed, walking up the stairs to take a nap. 

-_Meanwhile_-

"Yes, we heard. I think it's great!" Hilde said cheerfully. Noting the silence that followed, she added, "If you don't approve, just say so." 

"It's not that we don't approve… I just don't think that Sahara's ready for the responsibility. I think she should wait," Catherine said. Quatre nodded in agreement. 

"I agree. We should ask them to push the wedding back," Trowa said. 

"At _least_ until March of next year," Catherine said. 

"Good idea. You handle your angel, and we'll handle Tim. Bye for now!" Hilde said, winking. The comphone clicked off. 

"Sahara honey, could you come down here for a second?" Cathy called. Moments later, Sahara came down the stairs with a serene smile on her face. 

"Yes Mother?" 

"Your mother and I have discussed the idea of your marriage to Tim with his parents. We all think that it's best that you wait at _least_ until spring next year," Quatre explained. Sahara nodded. 

"I talked it over with Tim myself. We both agreed that we're not getting married until we're _sure_ that we're ready to accept the responsibilities." Quatre and Catherine blinked. Sahara giggled and kissed them both on the cheek.

"Speaking of Tim, we're going dancing. I'll be back before 10. Bye!" She ran out the door after grabbing her keys and winter jacket. 

"Quatre, who was it that just walked out the front door?" 

"I think it was our daughter…"

**Exiting Chapter 6...**

** Exit successful. **

**Goodbye.**

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**Disclaimer: **First off, let us tell you which songs we used in this chap. The beautifully dark song that Damon plays along with is _Lu:na by **Gackt**. The lyrics are translated from their original Japanese to fit this story. *worships Gackt-sama* The song that follows is _I Will Remember You_ by **Sarah McLaughlin**. The lyrics belong to their respective owners, and are not mine. Thank you. Gundam Wing chars are not mine. Original characters, poetry, and songs not mentioned in the disclaimer above belong to **Tacti**. _

**Tacti's**** Notes**

By: Sahara

Ha! I updated! Aren't you so proud? I've had to juggle extra work to medicate my dying grades. One of them is already dead, and one of them is on its deathbed. My poor, poor grades! What Japanese college will accept my grades in the condition that they're in?! *takes a deep breath* Anyway, I apologize for the really big spaces in the sections where there is dialogue. It didn't look like that on my computer L Anyway, on to more writing! Ja ne!


	9. Forever?

**Chapter Seven: Forever?**

Comments from the author(s):

**Infinity**: Yo, Infinity here. We worked really hard to get this chapter to you just in time for Valentine's, but… it didn't. Anyway, this chapter has some pretty nifty gadgets and stuff, 'cause I was in the mood. Thanks for the help, Aira.

**Aira**: Your imagination was quite capable of creating such objects on its own. You are welcome.

**Infinity**: Yeah, so when there's a romantic scene you like, thank Kat. Liam's new catchphrase seems to be "Give me your answer after the ring." It's such a fun phrase. 

Oh, and **sweetangel14**, here's your daily dose of Liam/Fey!

__________________________________________

            Fey Maxwell sat cross-legged on the floor of her dorm, pencil in mouth, staring at her homework. 

            "Ah! I don't want to do this right now! I'm _so_ tired of being stuck in here with nothing to do!" she cried out at last. For three days it had been like this. Her roommate was having a blast on a beach on some colony for her winter vacation. She, on the other hand, was stuck alone and the lately, the silence had been getting on her nerves. As if an answer to her silent plea for a little noise, Fey's laptop began to beep. _Looks like I have email…_ she thought, going over to it and clicking on the mail alert. 

            "Hey Fey, what's up? I thought that you might be bored, and since we haven't had a lot of time to spend together, I wanted to know if you wanted to do something. Please give me your answer after the ring," Liam said, grinning on her screen. Fey smiled and was about to send one back to him when the doorbell rang. 

            "So, do I get my answer or not?" Liam asked, leaning on her doorframe. Fey's eyes nearly popped out. He was _very_ tall. At six foot two, the purple haired young man seemed to tower over Fey, who was only five five. 

            "Liam! How did you…? Aw heck, never mind! It's great to see you!" she said, glomping him.  "I've been bored out of my mind just staring at my homework all week. I _need_ to get out and have some fun!" Liam grinned. 

            "Well, a friend of mine is having a party. Wanna come with?" he asked her. 

            "Give me five minutes to change," she said with a grin. Barely three minutes later, Fey presented herself in her outfit of choice. "Okay, so that took less time than I thought," she said. Liam took in the sight of her. She was wearing a black mini skirt, platforms, and a dark blue sleeveless. She followed him out to his black hover Corvette and they were off. Before the party started, however, they decided to hit the town for some quality time alone. It was a good thing, too. Strobe lights were everywhere, and the foul smell of cigarette smoke embraced them as they walked into the club that Liam's friend had rented out for his party. 

            "Stay here. I'm going to find Ivan. If anything happens, call me," Liam said to Fey. She nodded. To be perfectly honest, Fey had never had alcohol before. 

            "You a friend of Liam's, girlie?" a tall, dark haired young man asked in an Australian accent. 

            "I'm his girlfriend," she answered. 

            "Ah, so _you're_ Fey. Liam and Ivan went to the same university. They're good friends. My name is Sean Bilau. Nice to meet ya, mate," he said, extending a hand for Fey to shake, which she did.

            "I've never met any of Liam's friends from the university," Fey admitted. Sean smiled and she saw that he had a golden tooth. 

            "Ah, and for a good reason; we'd probably embarrass ourselves in front of such a pretty girlie like you. Excuse me for a bit, if you will," he said, tilting his head towards her. She nodded and he took his leave. 

            "Hey there, want a drink?" a guy asked. His face was flushed, and Fey could see that he was drunk.

            "I don't drink…" Fey began, but he grabbed her arm. 

            "Either a drink for you, or one for me," he said, looking her over. He reached for her, but Fey slapped his hand away. Without thinking, she said,

            "Okay, I'll get a drink," too afraid to rationalize the situation. After the man watched her drink down a mug of beer, Fey began to get tipsy. Thankfully, Sean came to the rescue before the drunkard could touch her. 

            "Beat it, mate. This is Liam's girl," he told the man. Intimidated, the other young man fled. 

            "You all right, Fey?" he asked the brunette. 

            "I tant to west that tolden gooth in pomewhere srivate," she said, grinning at him. He frowned at her random nonsense.   
  


            "Come on then, let's take you to Liam," he said, gently taking her arm. She leaned on him, and they stumbled into the part of the club where Liam was, through the crowd of people, the thick mist, and flashing red lights. 

            "Fey!" Liam cried upon seeing her. 

            "I left to go take a piss, and found her drunk. Sorry mate," Sean apologized, scratching the back of his head. Liam smiled at his friend.

            "No, it's all right. You didn't know. Thank you for bringing her back here." Nodding, the Aussie left the two lovebirds to themselves.

            "Fey, we're going to leave now, okay? Come on," Liam said, half dragging her out. She giggled and ran into him when they were at last outside. "I'm going to take you home." And drive her home he did. He helped her up the stairs and to her own bed. 

            "Jare to coin me?" Fey asked, pulling Liam onto the bed with her. She began to kiss him. For a moment, he was stunned. But when Fey's hands began to wander under his shirt, he was snapped instantly back to reality. With a strong but gentle grip, Liam stopped her moving hands, and got up.

            "You told me not to, and so I won't," he said softly. After a while, Fey just slept. Liam never left her side for a moment. A couple hours later, Fey woke up and realized that she had a headache the size of Russia.

            "Liam, what are you…" she began, noticing the young man sitting by her bed. He put a finger to her lips.

            "You got drunk, and so I took you back here," he informed her. After a long pause he added softly, "I didn't do anything." 

            "Thank you…" the brunette said, getting up to hug him. But her balance was still a bit off, so she slipped. Thankfully, Liam was quick enough to catch her. 

            "You told me that you weren't ready. I would never do anything without your permission," he whispered in her ear. She sighed, leaning back into his arms. 

            "Can you stay with me for a little while?"

            "I promise not to leave you until you give the word," he answered. Liam put his arms around Fey, and the two stayed like that for the remainder of the night. 

-*-

            While the rest of their friends had other things to do, Sakura and Red decided to take a trip to the islands. They decided to settle for Mayaguana, a Bahamian island. Its beaches were remote, as most people seemed to be bent on living on the colonies. The couple enjoyed the serenity of their surroundings. 

            "Sakura, I'm home!" Red called out. Sakura, who had been sleeping on the couch, opened her eyes. Red smiled gently and kissed her forehead. 

            "I brought you a couple of things from the main islands: some clothes for us, groceries, and… a few things that are a little on the small side." Sakura rummaged through the bag. A lovely black dress that went down to her ankles and had flowing sleeves was neatly folded in the corner of the bag.

            "I was planning to go dancing sometime. But I suppose now we have other things to think about," Red said, gently placing a hand on Sakura's rounded belly. "And don't worry, I _did_ think of the baby," Red said, pulling out a few accessories for the unborn little one. Sakura flushed with pride. 

            "Thank you Red. Can you bring me my easel? I want to paint something," Sakura said. Nodding, Red pushed the easel from where it stood next to the window in the living room, and put it in front of his wife. 

            "What are you going to paint?" he asked her. She smiled brightly. 

            "I'm going to paint a family." 

-*-

            "So you're telling us that we should heed the words of a child?" a gray-headed man demanded. Aren had to pause a moment in order to keep his temper in check.

            "I know that she seems young, Senator Brita, but I assure you that Naeva is very skilled in what she does. If you do not believe my word, you may hire another interpreter. My agent was born and raised in Italy, and is my best. I trust her with my life." 

            "Both of you seem too young for such important jobs. It's just that the other members of the EEA are getting nervous. We have to keep this mission as confidential as possible."

            "I understand. If that is all, I would ask that you excuse me. I have other business to attend to," Aren said, giving the older man a curt nod. 

            "Very well. There will be a meeting of the EEA representatives at four next Monday," he reminded the young man before leaving. Aren nodded and the senator left. As soon as the door clicked, Aren let out a sigh.

            "Well?" Naeva asked, coming back into the room. After Naeva had interpreted the little footage that she had, she was asked to leave the room. It was a process she was well used to by now. There were some things that they had to discuss that did not involve her. She noted the expression on Aren's face. 

            "The EEA is getting a little skeptical, but that's about it. I can't act until they give me the word to send you back. Right now, it would threaten the peace," he said. Naeva scoffed. 

            "The Earth-bound European Alliance is a band of fools. Whether they want it or no, there _will_ be a war. They may as well savor their precious peace while they still have breath."

            "Oh, before you go Naeva, I'd like to introduce you to someone," Aren said. He pressed a button and his secretary's face appeared on the screen opposite of his desk. 

            "Yes sir?" the woman asked. 

            "Send him in Silpha," he ordered. The woman nodded and her face disappeared. Moments later, a tall, dark figure entered the room. He was wearing all black, and his face was shaded by the wide-rimmed cowboy hat he wore. 

            "Naeva, this is Diego Garciez. He's been trained his entire life for the kind of work that I hired you to do." 

            "And you want me to babysit him?" she questioned. A smile tugged at Aren's lips. He looked very tired-not that Naeva appeared to care or anything.

            "It's a little more than that. He's a very experienced agent. I want him to your partner from now on," Aren said. Naeva frowned at looked over at the newcomer. He looked up, the fading light of the sun shining on his tanned features. 

            "It is a pleasure to meet you Ms. Yuy. Mr. Rettecar speaks of very highly of you. I must say I am quite impressed with what you've done in your young life. It encourages me to do the same. Not many young people like us have the ability to be an agent you know," he said winking. Naeva frowned at him.

            "You will refer to me as Naeva at all times, unless we are on a mission. My codename is Black Angel. Do you have a codename or do I need to make one up for you?" she asked. He grinned. 

            "They call me Fuego back in my country," he said in a thick Mexican accent. Naeva gave Aren an "I'm-going-to-kill-you" looks before turning her attention again on the newcomer. 

            "Fine; if you'll excuse me, my family is expecting me home." She gave both men a curt nod before leaving. Had Naeva been an ordinary young woman, a blush would have already been present on her face. But she had long ago mastered the art of bending the body to will, making it ignore pain. _Damn you, Aren. Damn you for choosing such a handsome man._

-*-

Damon was, as usual, pissed off. But this time, it was something much more personal than just the fact that just about everyone else in the world was a complete moron. No, _this_ time, it was Tivona. He hated how she pretended to know everything. He hated how she seemed to be so perfect, yet couldn't understand that he didn't want anything to do with her. 

            "Damon, what is the answer to number four?" his English teacher asked. 

            "Concrete noun," he said without thinking. _If I give her the right answer, she'll leave me alone. Damn teacher_, he thought. 

            "Correct," she said, giving Damon one of those 'I can't believe you actually paid attention' looks. "All right class, work on your projects now until the end of class. Don't wait until the last minute just because it's due next month!" she reminded them. 

            "So, what are you planning on doing your project on?" Tivona asked softly. Damon glared at her. 

            "The influence of modern music on society." 

            "Oh, I'm doing the influence of real life experiences on literature," she said, smiling. 

            "I didn't _ask_ for your opinion, bitch. Why don't you just leave me the fuck **alone**?!" Damon yelled, storming out of the room. 

            "Ms. Takano, I'd like to be excused for the bathroom," Tivona said. Every part of her was shaking. _He'll be angry, but I can't… I can't just let him run away. _Her teacher nodded, handing her a hallway pass. Tivona found Damon outside in the pouring rain. 

            "Damon, I…" Tivona began, but upon hearing her voice, the dark haired young man was thrown into a rage. He wanted to be alone and think. The _last_ thing he needed was **her** interrupting his thoughts. Who the hell did she think she was anyway? What right did she have? 

            "Shut the hell up! I'm tired of hearing you, damn it! Get the hell away from me!" For a few precious moments, Tivona thought about running away. But, gathering her resolve, she shook her head. _I'm through running away. I don't care how much he says he doesn't need anybody-he does. And I will not be afraid. _

            "I won't! Why, Damon? Why have you changed so much? Don't you remember what you promised me?" She took a step out into the rain, surprised a bit at how cold it was. Like Damon's eyes.

            "I said I'd look for you, and I found you. I don't want anything more to do with you. You are no longer part of my life," he said.

            "I-I see… I'm s-sorry to have bothered you then," she stammered. He walked by her, and back into the school. _I'm no longer a part of his life…_ a sardonic smile passing over her face.  _I'm so stupid. Of course I'm no longer part of his life. That was a long time ago. People change. I suppose I'll die alone then_, she thought, moving back under the roof of the exit. She couldn't help falling to her knees as she re-entered the school. _Of all the people in the world, why is it you, Damon? Why do you continue to torture me? I love you. Why don't you understand that…? _She asked herself. 

            "Why…?" she whispered aloud to herself. 

-End-

**Notes**:

  
**Infinity: **Okay, so that was supposed to be done by Valentine's. So sue me if it's like, a month later.  As you may or may not know, medication for dying grades can be quite tiring, as they require your constant effort and attention. -_-() 

Anyways, I hope you liked it. Sorry for the long wait again. By the way, the title has a double meaning. It means, for the happy couples, _Will we be in love forever? _And for Tivona, _Will you hate me forever? _No, I'm not clever. I just couldn't think of a title. -.-__


	10. Omake 1

Between Lust-A "Between Us" mojiru (parody)

Ruby: Come one, come all! Welcome to _Between Lust_, a parody of _Between Us_! Today's laugh will be:

**_Personality Switch_**! Yes, that's right! Tivona and Damon have _switched_ personalities! ^^ What chaos will ensue? Let's find out…

Damon: I love your eyes. They sparkle like stars in the sky… *sighs romantically*

Tivona: *rolling her eyes* Oh, do they? Damn it! I wanted them to be dark and mysterious! *pokes her eyes out* There. 

Damon: (horrified) Ti-chan, your beautiful eyes… *sobs* Nonetheless, you are still perfect!

Tivona: No I'm not.

Damon: Name one thing that makes you _not_ perfect, then! 

Tivona: I cut myself.

Damon: That's not stupid! It's just… wait, what did you say?

Tivona: I cut myself. 

Damon: *whimpers* Oh my love… *in a clearer voice that still shakes* W-what made you do that?

Tivona: I was stressed because of those damn end-of-the-year tests!

Damon: *streams of tears* You didn't do it with a knife, did you?  
Tivona: No, I fell down and cut myself.

Damon: Oh, phew. I thought you meant you _actually_-

Tivona: Damon?

Damon: Yeah?  
Tivona: That was sarcasm.

Damon: *quietly* Oh. 

Tivona: I've gotta go inhale poisonous fumes. Later.

Damon: Oh my! Not poisonous fumes! Ti-chan, don't do it! I love you!

Tivona: …

Damon: I loooove you!

Tivona: Hn.

Damon: Aw, come on… you know I do!

Tivona: You're keeping me from my poison, Damon. I don't like it when people keep me from my cigs.

Damon: *waves of tears* You love them more than me!

Tivona: Duh. 

Damon: *pouty face* Waaah! 

Tivona: This is ridiculous. I'm leaving. 'Bye. 

Damon: Waaaaaaaaaaaaait! I looooooooooooooooooooove yoooooooooooooou!

Tivona: *over her shoulder* Can't hear you! My lighter's too loud…

Damon: *continues brightly* I said… I looooooooooooooov-

Tivona: *piercing glare* I don't f***ing  care. *leaves*

Damon: Why? Why are you so cold…? *sob* -- won't make sense unless you've read the whole story so far.

_Fini___


End file.
